A variety of catheter anchoring and supporting devices are discussed in the prior art. One example is a catheter anchoring and supporting device which has two adhesive members connected by an adhesive bridge to secure the members in a doubled over form when the two main members are used to position a catheter tube to a patient. Another example is catheter anchoring and supporting system that has an adhesively-attachable single-piece having two channels connected by a bridge, each channel for receiving a tubular segment.
However, these catheter anchoring and supporting system and devices do not address the desirable feature of aiding in the insertion of a catheter cannula into a catheter insertion site (e.g., a vein) of a patient. These catheter anchoring and support systems do not receive the hub of a catheter. Further, these catheter tube holders do not provide adequate adhesion between the patient's skin and the catheter insertion site to prevent a substantial displacement of the inserted cannula from the insertion site such as when any outward force is applied to the catheter tubing when moving a patient or when a patient is moving the area having the cannula inserted therein.
What is needed is an adhesively-attachable catheter anchoring apparatus having two side members and a cross-member therebetween, the cross-member having a retaining assembly integrated therein for receiving the catheter hub of a catheter assembly and for holding the associated cannula guide needle and the surrounding cannula at approximately a 3-degree angle (e.g., or any desired angle) and further having two vertically-oriented gripping tabs disposed on each side of the retaining assembly, to optionally be gripped while advancing the catheter assembly in the direction to pierce the vein with the cannula guide needle and to guide the cannula into a desired vein without requiring operator contact with the cannula or cannula guide needle, thus reducing the risk of an operator contaminating the catheter, thereby reducing the risk of patient infection, while also making starting the I.V. easier and faster. The present catheter anchoring apparatus addresses the foregoing needs by providing an adhesively-attachable H-shaped catheter anchoring apparatus with two side members and a cross-member there between, the cross-member having a retaining assembly integrated therein for receiving a catheter hub in a position desirable for insertion and for assisting in the advancement of a cannula guide needle into a patient's vein.